How To Set Goals For 2017 That You’ll Actually Accomplish

In 2013 my roommates and I hosted possibly one of the greatest New Year’s Eve parties of all time. Sure afterwards our carpets were stained with red wine, we found random hair extensions all over the house, and our ears continued ringing for days after. But that’s all just part of the experience, right? Not to mention a super hunky blonde haired guy showed up that night who just happens to now be my husband.

This year’s celebrations without a doubt will be a little more tame, now that I’m seven months pregnant and all. But there was something very cool that happened at that party in 2013 that really stuck.

At the infamous NYE party, we hung a cork board by the front door, where guests were invited to anonymously post their goals and resolutions for the new year. The fun part came when we tried to guess which goals belong to which guest. But it wasn’t all just fun and games.

When we later ran into other people who had been at the party, some remembered their goals. A few guests even got connected with other people who knew how to help them reach their goals faster. One guy got a job lead out of it.

It made me realize there was something kind of magical about making known what we wanted, and then having other people remind us to be going after it. It was accountability in its least stressful form. And that’s what most of us are missing when we create resolutions or try to make changes at the start of every year.

With that, here are four simple ways to actually keep the goals you make this New Year’s Eve.

1. Write it down

Sometimes old school is the best way to go. There’s nothing more therapeutic than writing a good list. There is a special power in getting something down on paper (or your iPhone, or wherever) and being able to go back to that thought time and time again. If you’re serious about doing something, write it down. Do it somewhere where you’ll see it frequently. It’s the best way to help you weigh your everyday decisions against whether or not they line up with your ultimate goals.

2. Get educated.

The first step to completing any goal is never allowing yourself to get lazy. If you want to move to a new city in 2017, start researching jobs and cost of living in the cities you’re interested in. Do it immediately, like as soon as you’re done reading this. If you want to record an album, look into recording equipment and pull a collection of songs together. If you’re going to do something you’ve never done before, it is never too early to learn everything you can about the process. Most goals get hijacked by a lack of work up front to ensure that we can keep going after them. Get the knowledge now, reap the benefits later!

3. Get a buddy, or maybe several.

This part can be a little awkward, but if you have a goal tell everyone who will listen. The more people in your life that know what you’re trying to do and how serious you are about it, the less likely it is to fall to the wayside. So tell your best friend, your mom, your boss at work – people who care about you and are part of your daily life. They can provide you with encouragement when you need it. They can also annoyingly remind you when you aren’t following through on your word to cut back on carbs. Keeping your goal to yourself is just about the worst thing you can do. Tell the world and don’t be ashamed.

4. Set a goal date

For some people, this might just be by the end of the year. “I want to teach myself basic graphic design skills by December 31.” But for others, things might need to happen a little sooner. Maybe you’re giving yourself six months to find a new job. You might want to run a marathon in May. The big key is to know exactly when you need to complete your goal, so you can pace yourself and make sure you’re staying on track with your progress. And when your goal date is on the way? Set reminders on your phone as a sort of countdown. Throw yourself a party, or take a fun trip when you reach your goal. You deserve to treat yourself for sticking with it!

Tell Us: What are your goals for the New Year?

Abby is part of the Contributing Writer Network at Thirty On Tap. To apply to become a Contributing Writer, please click HERE.

My main goals for 2017 are to learn all about screenwriting, write two novels, and see Mariah live in concert for a third time (the latter is already taken care of – my mom copped me tix!). Great read & happy new year to you!

Great tips for achieving your goals! I particularly believe in the power of writing something down. By committing to something on paper and having clear, achievable and measurable goals, they somehow end up working out by the end of the year!